The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is open to students who are admitted onto a master’s programme at Sciences Po and who meet the eligibility criteria for the scholarship. Students receive the scholarships and financial aid throughout the two years of their master’s programme.
Only admitted students to a master’s programme at Sciences Po can join the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po. You can apply to any of the Master’s degree programmes offered at Sciences Po’s Graduate Schools, except the dual degree programmes and the one year master’s programme.
Admissions timeline for the 2026-2028 Program
If you want to apply to both Sciences Po and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, we strongly advise you to begin preparing and assembling the supporting documents you need for your application well in advance, as it will certainly take a long time to obtain some of them (see below).
- Application platform opens: early October 2025
- Application deadline for Master’s programmes and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: 4th January 2026
- Sciences Po admissions decisions released: mid-December 2025, mid-February 2026, early April 2026, depending on the application date.
- Scholarship allocation decisions released: early May 2026
- Master’s programmes begin: end of August 2026
Eligibility criteria for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
You must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program:
- Hold citizenship in a country within Africa. Candidates who hold a second citizenship from a country outside the African continent are not eligible.
- Have completed or be currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree programme at one of Sciences Po’s institutions of reference (see the list of institutions).
Or Have completed or are currently enrolled in a training foundation or mentoring programme offered by a bridging programme organisation partnering with the Mastercard Foundation (see the list of institutions).
- Be in genuine need of funding for your higher education (please note: documents proving your financial situation will be required for your application).
- Show a commitment to achieving change in Africa, particularly in the areas of public policy and major political, environmental and societal transitions.
- Be under 35 when you begin your Master’s programme.
- Not already hold a Master’s degree.
Applying for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
To be selected for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, you must first be accepted onto a Master’s programme at one of Science s Po’s Graduate Schools.
You will need to apply for your chosen Master’s programme and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program via the international graduate admissions procedure.
We also recommend you to read the Sciences Po application guide before starting your application. Several information sessions online and in person, will be organised between April and December 2025 to support you in the application process. Dates and registration information will be published on the Program’s LinkedIn and Instagram page (sciencespo_mcfsp). Don’t hesitate to follow this page, where valuable information about the Program will be posted regularly.
Preparing your application
Before you begin your application, please check you meet the selection criteria for Sciences Po’s graduate programmes and the specific language requirements for each programme. Sciences Po offers English, French and bilingual programmes.
We strongly advise you to begin preparing and assembling the supporting documents you need for your application well in advance (before the application platform opens):
- All supporting documents required for international graduate admissions to Sciences Po.
- Valid photo ID.
- Proof of income (or lack thereof) demonstrating your financial circumstances: tax documents and/or income statements; scholarship certificates; or any other legal document attesting to your financial situation. You must submit at least one document with your application. Bank statements will not be accepted. If you are currently receiving a scholarship (from the Mastercard Foundation or another funding body), or have received one in the past, please also attach the scholarship certificate.
- Proof of current or past enrolment at one of Sciences Po’s institutions of reference.
Program’s admission criteria
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is highly selective and the scholarship is awarded on the basis of the following criteria:
- Demonstrable adequation between the degree held, the choice of Master’s programme at Sciences Po, the personal and academic background and the future professional plans.
- Ability to demonstrate critical thinking and perceptiveness in understanding and analysis of major contemporary political, economic and societal challenges facing Africa and the rest of the world.
- Ambition, originality and tenacity in pursuing entrepreneurial or social impact projects aimed at achieving socio-economic change in Africa.
Students are encouraged to express themselves authentically in their motivation letters and to draw on specific experiences to explain how joining the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program will enable them to achieve change. Misuse of Artificial Intelligence to answer the questions will prove a disadvantage to the application.
In line with the values of inclusion, diversity and equal opportunities, which underpin the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, special consideration will be given to applications from refugees, displaced persons and persons with disabilities.
Important
- The offer to join the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po is valid only for the intake of the year in which you were selected.
- If you choose to defer your admission at Sciences Po for one year, you will no longer be able to apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
- If you do not meet the scholarship eligibility criteria, you will not be able to apply for the Program but may proceed with your application to Sciences Po once you have paid the application fee.
- We also recommend applying for the Emile Boutmy scholarship. If you wish to apply for multiple scholarships, you must submit your application by the earliest deadline. Make sure to check the application deadlines for each scholarship carefully, as they are different.
- If you are admitted to Sciences Po but not selected for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, it will be your responsibility to find other means of funding your studies at Sciences Po.
- Current Sciences Po students cannot apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
Have a question about the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po?
Read our FAQ page.
If you can’t find an answer on our FAQ page, reach out to us directly at the following address: info.mcfsp@sciencespo.fr.
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